Nitro-starch explosive.



JESSE B. BRAUNSTEIN, QF ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

NIT RO-STARCH EXPLOSIVE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented 0613.22, 1907.

Application filed m 18, r907. Serial No. 384,305.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, JESSE B. BBAUNSTEIN, a citizen of the United States, residing in All ntown, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in the Manufacture of Nitro-Starch Explosives, of which the following is a specification.

My ifn ention relates to the production of graded nitro-starch blasting powders, and the object of the invention is to produce a cheap, stable and effective powder oi the grade desired.

As is well known nitro-starch, when produced by any practical commercial method, lacks stability and can not be utilized as an explosive base, unless previously subjected to some stabilizing treatment, or unless a stabilizing ingredient is included in the explosive mix ture. It is also necessary in producing nitro-starch p wders for commercial uses to add to the ndrostarch, a dope or nioderzuing agent whereby the desired density and ratio of explosive force to a given. weight of powder are secured; the proportion of explosive base to added material determining the grade of the powder.'

I have discovered and disclosed in a copending applicati n Serial No. 376,003 filed May 27, 1907, the [act that finely divided metal, such for example as iron filings. may be used both as the moderating agent or dope and also the stabilizing ingredient, in connection with nitro-siarch explosives. I have also discovered that the stability of a powder made up of nitro-starch and finely divided metal may be markedly increased by the presence in the mixture of a comparatively small amount oi a common nitrate, such for example ammonium nitrate (NH NO Those three ingredients, nitrostarch, a nitrate and finely divided metal, are used in proportions varying according to the grade of powder desired. The powder may vary from a 30% grade to 70 grade, that is to say, from one in which of the entire mixture will be the explosive base, nitrostarch, to one in which the nitro-starch will be 70%, the balance in either case being made up of the added materials. Of the added material from five to twenty per cent. will be nitrate, and the balance metal filings. The amount of nitrate between the limits referred to may vary without substantially varying the strength or quickness of the powder, although the tern.- perature of explosion.will perhaps be slightly're'duced if as high as twenty per cent. of nitrate be used in the dope. The various ingredients are caused to be intimately intermixed in any convenient manner and if desired a small percentage of a suitable oil, for example, cotton-seed oil, say 3% by Weight of the entire 'rnixture, may be added to give consistency.

Although I prefer to use finely divided iron as the metallic ingredient, other metals may be used, such, for example, as lead, zinc, or the common commercial 'alloys.

I claim:.-

1. An explosive consisting of an intimate mixture of substantially from 30 to 70 per cent. of nitro-stzirch. and substantially T0 to 30 per cent. of an added material comprising fin'ely divided iron and a solid inorganic nitrate, said nitrate constituting by weight substantially from 5 to 20 per cent. of the added material.

2. An explosive consisting of an intimate mixture of substantially from 30 to '70 per cent. of nitrostarch, and substantially 70 to 30 per cent. of an added material comprising iron filings and a solid inorganic nitrate, said nitrate constituting by weight substantially 5 to 20 per cent. of the added material.

3. An explosive consisting of an intimate mixture of substantially from 30 to 70 per cent. of nitro-stzirch, and substantially T0 T0 30 per cent. of an added material, com prlsingfinely divided iron, and ammonium nitrate, said ammonium nitrate constituting by weight substantially JESSE B. BRAUNSTEIN.

Witnesses CHARLES U. IIOWSUN, Jos. II. I LEl!\'. 

